Battle of Wills
by Dark Seraphim
Summary: Towards the end of Crisis Core. Genesis Zack. What if they end up helping each other?
1. Had His Strength

Author's Notes: I liked the Crisis Core ending just fine(sniffle Zack...), and thought it was well handled, BUT I began to wonder "what if". This fic is the result. It's also a reminder that there's a reason why I consider myself "The Queen of wishful thinking". Still, it would have been pretty interesting if Genesis didn't fall unconscious and he ended up traveling with Zack. I doubt it would have been like this fic, but I would have liked it so long as the sniffle Zack scenes stayed the way they are. Anyway, enjoy! I'm slow with multi-chapter fics, but Genesis is a VERY strong muse, so maybe this one's an exception. Heh.

--

I hated leaving Genesis behind. I wasn't too keen on leaving him in the middle of a ruined village with nothing more than a chair to prop him up. He really was a sitting duck, but I really didn't have any other choice. I carried Cloud halfway around the world and couldn't carry another person. Still, I felt my heart drop with each step. I told myself that Genesis would be fine. I still swam in the rush of fighting him. I knew that even if my brain fell out of my head, I would never forget the intensity, the battle of wills and skills. For a while, I didn't think I'd win, but I had to. I worked too hard to lose to him, and Cloud needed me.

The best victories are the most difficult to gain. I remember Angeal saying something like that, and he's another person that I won't be forgetting anytime soon. He was my mentor and Genesis' best friend. I sighed, tempted to turn back and try to wake Genesis because I knew Angeal would have done that, but I'm not Angeal, and before all this, I kept my distance from Genesis for a reason. He could take care of himself. He got what he wanted, so I decided to keep walking. If we're meant to meet again, then we would.

"Zack!"

I paused. That sounded like Genesis, but wasn't he unconscious? Cloud felt a little heavier, but I stayed right where I was. I heard my name being called again, so I turned around, and there he was with one arm around the chair, trying to stand.

"Genesis . . . " I headed toward him. I knew how he was, I knew what he did, I knew what he was capable of, but I also knew that he was SOLDIER, like me, and no matter what happened, I knew that he wasn't a bad person. No way was I going to leave him behind now. The Angeal clones had already vanished into the Lifestream and I saw the wind paste Aerith's letter onto the front of the chair.

"Let me help you," He whispered, gazing at me with those sharp blue eyes that used to scare the shit out of me. For once, he didn't look perpetually pissed off. "It's the least I could do to make amends for what I've done. Angeal would have wanted it this way."

As soon as he mentioned Angeal, I nodded. "Yup. Just that you're still hurting. Are you sure you can move much?"

"I'll be fine." Genesis said. He tried to get up again, but he groaned. I grabbed an X potion from my belt and handed it to him.

"Here, take this. It's the last one I've got, but you should have it if you're going to help me."

"Thanks." He drank it as soon as he grabbed it. He tossed the bottle, then looked around before looking at me. "I know you're not going to like hearing this, but we'll have to go back through the caves." He chuckled when I whined because I sounded just like the Puppy Angeal loved calling me. I liked how he sounded. "I know you look forward to it the way one looks forward to illness, but we're wide open here, and I doubt that Shinra will just go away." Before I could even blink, Genesis headed toward the entrance. "Don't worry. There are other exits. I know the way."

I wasn't surprised he knew the caves the back of his red gloved hands, but I dreaded going back to the very place I dealt with him and who knew how many monsters there. I knew I could handle them, but this time I had Cloud with me, and my shoulders ached. Hell, I ached. For about a second, I was sorry I gave Genesis the potion, but then I remembered I could always get more somehow. My phone didn't work anymore, but those were caves were vast, and I didn't exactly have the time to look everywhere. Everything would be okay. I tend to think that when things go wrong. Hasn't failed me yet.

I looked around at the ruined, burnt houses, and scorched ground. I saw little more than green, green, and more green. Oh, and dumbapples. Genesis, well, didn't. He just walked onward, biting his bottom lip, never looking at anything but his destination. I honestly couldn't blame him. Once back in the cave entrance, I looked toward the desk where I spent some time reading a magazine about the apple juice that Genesis himself invented.

"If you want to rest a bit, we can," he said, his black boots echoing against the stone floor. "But, we don't have too much time, so let's be careful, okay?"

"Sure," I sat Cloud down on the only chair in the entrance. He still slept, and I didn't know if he could hear anything or not. I hoped he could because as far as I was concerned, that would lead to waking up. I'd carry him all over the world, but I wanted him up and strong, like me. I spotted a treasure chest right across from me, and couldn't believe my luck both good and bad. I headed to it, sensing Genesis behind me, and listening to his black and red leather coat creak a little as he leaned on the desk. He opened one of the drawers and muttered something about "keys, keys, keys." I turned around. "Goddess keys?"

"No." Genesis twirled a keyring around his gloved fingers. He grinned. "Vehicle keys."

My jaw about dropped. "Really? Where did you get them?"

"A little while ago, some people decided to get a little too curious, and," Genesis's auburn hair fell to the side of his face, "they got themselves killed."

"Oh," I looked down at the treasure chest. "Why would anyone who isn't SOLIDER or a Turk come down here?"

"Because they're stupid." He put the keys in an inside pocket before locking his piercing eyes on me. "So, where do you plan on going?"

"Midgar."

Genesis sucked in his breath. "What?" He stood up straight looking like I just tore apart his favorite poetry book. "You're kidding me, right?"

I didn't color myself surprised at his reaction. I just shrugged. "No."

He took a step toward me. "Do you walk into the belly of a hungry beast?" I just looked at him, not budging to his hand waving drama he was well known for. "Do you walk down a dark alley wearing money? Do you go through the valley of evil fearing nothing because you're eighty-thousand feet and climbing?" He clenched his fists. "Do you intend to sign your own death warrant?"

"I'm going," I stated. Simple as it got.

Genesis glared at me. "It's only the Shinra capital of the world! How could you even think of going there?" He shook his head. "No way, Zack! Think of somewhere else to go, but not there. You will die there!"

I glared right back at him. Yea, I knew how he was, and I knew how Angeal dealt with him, but I wasn't calm. Genesis got under my skin all too easily. I raised my voice. "It's the last place they'd look! Think about it!"

"No, Zack!"

"Genesis! There is nowhere else I could go! If I could easily die there, then they'd simply think I'd go somewhere else, so they won't think to look there!" I wasn't going to let him stop me, so I didn't. "Besides, I have friends there. They can help me!" I smiled. "Everything will be okay. I don't plan on dying anytime soon. I know what I'm doing."

Genesis lowered his eyes. "Friends . . . I see . . . "

"Shinra is all over the world, but when I get into Midgar, we'll be safe. I know it."

"Fine." He had a pained look on his face, but he backed down, for once. "But, I seem to recall you telling me that I'd better stay alive." He narrowed his eyes. "You'd better follow your own advice, Zack."

"I will. I promise."

Genesis leaned back against the desk. "Okay." He relaxed a bit, and whatever tension filled the air simply went away. "My apologies."

I shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I don't blame you. So, how long would it take to get there?"

"At least two days," Genesis smirked, "and I drive like a demon."

"Why am I not surprised?" I laughed a bit, not bothering to ask about him flying us there. One wing plus two people equaled NO in my book. I finally opened the treasure chest. There weren't any potions, but I found some dried apple snacks and a black bottle marked with 'Banora XXX Cider '. I picked up the bottle and looked at a wide-eyed Genesis. "Oh . . . "

He raised his thin eyebrows. "That's a find and three quarters."

"Yea," I whispered. "If it didn't kill you, it was brilliant."

Genesis tilted his head. "I beg your pardon?" I knew he heard me, but I also knew that he knew who said it first.

"Angeal would say it about this cider."

"Yes, he would." Genesis nodded. "Highly alcoholic. It is poison, delightful poison." He spread his hands out for every word he said. "You take one sip of that, and you'll die without dying. It's glorious."

I opened the bottle and took a swig. I damned near fainted from mix of strong wine, spices, and, of course, Banora Whites. "Geez, that's no lie."

"It's only the best in the world." Genesis held out his hand, my cue to pass the bottle, so I walked over to him and did.

I looked at the pictures plastered on the wall. Everyone looked happy, like they just won a contest, then I remembered that at least one of them did. "Did you mean for me to see all this?" I asked, gazing at a very young farmer who stood in the middle of a cluster of people. I noticed that he looked like a younger version of Genesis, only his hair was longer and was wearing a hat. I thought he looked cute.

"Yes, I did," he said after downing a bit of the cider.

I turned to him. I couldn't help but smile. "You were a farmer?"

Genesis nodded, also smiling, but he looked away a little bit. "For a couple of years."

"Awww, that's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I'm not." Genesis scanned the pictures. "I didn't mind doing it, but it wasn't for me." He took another gulp of the cider. "One advantage of living in the countryside is that you learn about yourself." I got that immediately, but I didn't interrupt him. "You learn what you can and can't do, and what you should and shouldn't be doing. In fact, sometimes you have to actually walk down a path a little before you realize that it isn't the right one." He put the bottle back on the desk. "To succeed in farming, you have to have a certain sensitivity to the earth, the weather, and even to time itself." Genesis shrugged. "I found that my sensitivity was best suited to the written word and the sword."

"A warrior poet."

"Exactly." He passed the bottle to me, and I moved back to the treasure chest. For someone full of rage just a while ago, he proved to be pleasant company so far. I opened some of the snack bags and gobbled on the dried apples. Genesis kept talking. "Angeal, on the other hand, could grow a tree in the middle of a desert. He had that kind of patience. Me? If I want something done, I want it done last year, and if it isn't? Then, I go back in time to make sure that it is. He grew most of the plants he owned. You had to have seen them."

I laughed. "Yea, he had so many plants in his room. I mean, sheesh! If I wanted to live in a jungle full of plants and bugs I'd go back to Gongaga!"

"Oh!" Genesis rolled his eyes. He cracked up just like I did. "The goddamned bugs! I hated them in Banora and you can bet I hated them in Midgar! I mean, I don't mind the wonders of nature, but I tend to believe that some things belong here," he pointed in one direction, "and other things belong here," he pointed in another. "Do you see what I'm saying?"

I got him easily. Plants belong outside, Angeal. "Yup."

"I just figure that when I'm in the city, I expect to see nothing more than elegant machinery." Genesis swept out his arm like he was ready to take a bow. "Don't get me wrong, I won't kill anyone over a few trees, but, eh, lose the bugs. How much is too much, you know? But Angeal . . . " He shook his head.

"Yea, no kidding, but I didn't dare say anything to him about it."

Genesis pointed at himself. "I had no such fear, but did he listen?" We both yelled, "NO!" at the same time, and we laughed together once again. I found myself wishing that I didn't keep my distance from him before all this happened. I took another drink of the cider and devoured the dried apples. Genesis hopped on the desk, crossing one leg over the other. "Getting Angeal to do anything he didn't want to do was like pulling teeth with a toothpick. I might as well have been a dentist. He was wrought out of iron, I swear." He pushed himself forward. I could see his eyes gleaming. "Let me tell you something, Zack, there is nothing worse than sitting on top of someone writhing in ecstasy, coming," he shut his eyes, "yes! Yes! Yes! YEACHGH!" He spat on the ground, his blue eyes flashing with a mocking glare. "Needless to say, I was angry."

I knew they were friends, but I never thought of how close they really were. I realized that it might have been part of the reason why Genesis acted the way he did toward me, but I didn't ask. "Yea, I bet you were. He did get rid of the bugs eventually though."

"That he did, and believe it or not, it wasn't just to shut me up, it was because he didn't like the idea of bugs invading my mouth. Still, he always did as he pleased." Genesis grinned, but I somehow knew his heart ached. "We were different and very much alike. We mixed quite well."

I finished the last of the snacks and held the bottle close to me. "You must have really liked him."

Genesis sighed. "That's putting it mildly, Zack." His eyes almost stared through me. He looked stunningly sad. "I loved him very much." His voice dropped to a near whisper. "Very much."

I liked the way he said it. No poetry, no running of his mouth, and no drama. Just the facts, but I felt a lump in my throat. I took a long drink from the bottle before letting it drop back into the chest. I knew Angeal wouldn't have approved because he hated waste, especially of such fine alcohol, but I felt tears in my eyes, and I was trying damned hard to suck it up. Genesis must have sensed it because he walked toward me, and before I could do anything, wrapped his arms around me. I almost choked trying to hold back crying.

"Zack . . . " He whispered in my ear. I could smell the leather, and it smelt new as if the degradation never happened. I could feel his dangling silver earring slide against my cheek while his gloved hands caressed my back and my hair. I could just feel him--period. He felt warm. "I wish I had his strength." His voice broke. He was trying to suck it up too. We both failed. "Maybe . . . things . . . would have been . . . different." We held each other at arms' length, both of us gasping through tears. "I have many sins to atone for and it'll be a long, hard path, but I'll do it. A true hero would do it. Angeal . . . " Genesis put his hands over his mouth. "He would . . . " I couldn't say anything, but I didn't have to because Genesis stood beside Cloud and stroked the kid's blond hair. "Awww . . . is he yours?"

Mine? I finally managed to dry my eyes. "Yea, he's a good friend of mine."

Genesis smiled through his remaining tears. "A puppy of your own?"

"You can say that."

"Whatever you do, don't abandon him. Don't even let him think that you would."

"I don't intend to," I answered. I looked at the entrance and Genesis followed my gaze.

"You're right," he said, "we should get going. Angeal would have been gone a long time ago."

"Heh. True." I slung Cloud over my shoulder, careful not to slice him with my Buster Sword.

"Oh, and before we go any further," Genesis leaned toward me with a mischievous look. "If you tell anyone about any of this, I'll kill you."

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me," I answered without even flinching. We stared into each other's eyes until we both realized that this was no time for a staring contest, especially when we both heard a helicopter outside.


	2. All the right places

Author's Notes: This one proved much harder and longer than I thought (Genesis has a mouth, that's for sure). I've said before that I tend to be slow, but I didn't think I'd be this slow. I wasn't entirely sure where to put the "naughtiness", but my "muse" decided for me. Enjoy!

* * *

We both thought the same thing, I could see it on Genesis' face. Oh shit. Genesis turned the entrance into fiery rubble and we dashed into the caverns so quickly that I thought Cloud lost his head on my sword.. Thankfully, he didn't. We stood in front of the gravestone I encountered when I first got here. I just looked at it, catching my breath while Genesis gave a huge "FUCK YOU" to any monsters that got anywhere near us. Even without his sword, I found myself pretty damned grateful that he was on my side now. I had no idea how long it would last, but I found myself hoping that it would last at least for as long as we knew each other in SOLDIER and as opponents.

"Nothing like a beast named after a pack of cigarettes," Genesis said, his hand on his chest while the huge plant beast vaporized in a blaze of not glory. I opened my mouth, but he shook his head. "I'll be okay. I've fought worse."

I nodded. I knew exactly what he meant. "Heh! Fuck you, huh? Your place or mine?"

Genesis blinked before smirking. "How about right here?"

Now I laughed. "In front of this?" I pointed at the huge grave. "Eh, maybe we should just keep moving."

He looked towards the entrance. "You're right. We should."

"I just loved the gravestones here, by the way," I said as we went towards what I called the "lake area". I wanted to forget that place with the light pillars, but now I had no choice. "It's so, well, you". I shrugged as best I could with Cloud over me.

"Yes, I know," Genesis moved in front me before taking a short, quick bow. "How macabre."

"So, what about your sword?"

He looked towards that direction, but shook his head. "I'll get it eventually. I doubt anyone else would find it, much less be able to wield it." He chuckled. "Put it this way, whoever manages to gets to be king".

I found that funny. I didn't even pay attention to the shallow water sloshing around us. "So, who do you think's chasing us?"

Genesis, ever, well, Genesis stroked his chin. "Hmm...let me guess, nosy people from Wutai."

"I know it's Shinra, but I only heard one 'copter. That might sound appealing, but I don't think that's a good sign."

Now, he looked serious. "You're right. If it's infantry, then it'll be easy pickings between the two of us, but I doubt Shinra would send such people for us." Genesis shook his head. "I'm betting they're Soldier First Class. Maybe a handful, but if that's the case, then," he narrowed his eyes as we walked past the first pillar of light, "it still shouldn't be much of a problem, but we can't afford to play games with them either."

"Is that why you practically sealed off the entrance?" I looked towards that pillar of light, but saw only an open treasure chest. I beat all those monsters, but man, were they a pain. Not that they compared to Genesis, but still, geez.

"You can say that, but at best, it would deter them, which, if First Class, I doubt it would unless they don't notice an entrance. At worst? They wouldn't even be phased."

"Oh no." I felt my stomach drop. I really didn't like the idea of being pursued right now.

Genesis looked over his shoulder. "If it's any consolation, they wouldn't know where to look if they came in here and the monsters outside of this area won't help them."

I put my head down, but I kept walking. Everything would be okay. "I'm just tired of being chased."

"I can understand that," Genesis answered, his eyes lowered. "We spent quite awhile chasing each other, but Zack, we are not anyone's prey, you know that."

I held Cloud tight between my arms. "I'm gonna make sure that he won't be either."

"As opposed to what, exactly?" Genesis half-smiled.

"Heh, yea, you're right." We passed by another pillar of light, and I couldn't help but notice how pretty the white light looked against the dark water. "You know, it's peaceful here. After I beat those beasts, I found it easier to breathe."

"They were different kinds of clones. One of the more violent ones. I bet the victories felt good."

"No kidding, but then again, all of your clones were violent."

Genesis turned to me, spreading his arms out like a bird. I half-expected his wing to pop out. "Consider the source."

"Hah! Yea." How could I not? But, he was back to his old self, the one that wasn't "corrupted by vengeance" or whatever bad things that poem said. At least that's how I saw it. We didn't always get along, but after everything that's happened, I found that it was more than just a "clash of personalities". In fact, it took our very last fight for me to even get an idea why he was needlessly harsh with me. He blamed me for Angeal "leaving him". He screamed it with every swing, with every blast, with everything he had. It ended when I finally started to scream back. Once I did that, Genesis dropped his guard and I hit a home run. Angeal never "left him" and I always knew that he never would, even though he died. Not that Angeal was the only reason. I knew that Genesis figured that if he could beat me, then he could beat anyone, and he wouldn't be a failure. He'd be a 'hero', which was really all he ever wanted to be. He had the same dream I did, only I never went through what he had gone through and hoped that I never would. I stopped, but only because Genesis stood right in front of me with his hand inches away from my chest.

"Do you want to rest?" He asked.

We stood right in front of the "Safe Zone". Within that place, I knew that we could rest without having to worry about anything or anyone attacking us. I could see the light bridge that led to the prisons, but I honestly didn't feel up to going that way right now. I wanted to, hell, I needed to rest. "Yea, that would be great."

Genesis smiled. Looked like he was thinking the same thing, but didn't want to admit it. What a big surprise, but I didn't care, just so long as I was one hundred percent before continuing my journey of not getting caught by Shinra or any other enemy. Thankfully, the zone was away from the water, so I didn't have to worry about getting wet. I sat Cloud against the wall and laid the Buster Sword between me and him. I sat a few feet away, and Genesis sat right next to me, glancing at the sword.

"So, you don't often use it either, do you?"

I followed his gaze. "No. Use brings about wear, tear, and rust--"

Genesis rolled his eyes. "Yea, and that's waste. Angeal was big about not wanting things to go to waste. He was always frugal, even with toilet paper."

"Oh no," I laughed, knowing exactly what he was talking about. "That toilet paper."

"Yes!" Genesis pushed himself against the stones, probably tempted to bang his head a few times. "The kind that sold for maybe ten gil for a hundred rolls, and I'm sure they still had wood chips in the fibers! Gah! It was like wiping your ass with sandpaper and cotton." Genesis laughed like I laughed. "Honestly, Zack, I wanted to buy yards of expensive silk, walk in front of Angeal, and wipe my ass with the pieces. 'What do you think now'?"

"You never did?"

"No, of course not, even I'm not that frivolous, but I was tempted. Goddess, I was tempted."

"He probably would have just shook his head or something."

Genesis nodded. "There's no doubt he would have strongly disagreed, but he also would have told me that it's my money to burn, so I would have blown some nice fabric for nothing."

"And that's waste." I couldn't help but say that. We fell silent for a bit, and I looked at one of the white pillars. For some reason, I thought of Sephiroth. Just about everyone in the world respected him in some form of another. I wasn't much different, and I know that Genesis idolized him more than I ever could. Just that I never cared about sharing an apple with Sephiroth. I also didn't care about taking over Sephiroth's role. I wanted to be one in my own right. "I wonder what Sephiroth thought of you two. I wonder where he is now."

"At this point, I really don't care," he answered, and then narrowed his eyes. "The less thought of, the better, but I know better than to assume he's dead."

I agreed. I knew what happened to Sephiroth, but I also knew that just about anything was possible with him. "Assumption is the mother of all fuck-ups."

"Hah. Another Angealism." Genesis sighed, almost smiling.

"Yea, and he'd tell you that what happened to Sephiroth wasn't entirely your fault."

Genesis looked up at the cave ceiling. "No, not entirely. I know I didn't help any, but to be honest, there wasn't a single thing I said that he wouldn't have found out on his own." He looked at me. "I just sped up the process. Nibelheim...Goddess...I wasn't there when it happened, but I heard what he did and how he behaved. I know that I'm not one to talk about bad behavior, but do you remember how he looked?"

"I'll never forget it. He looked quite pleased with himself."

"So smug," Genesis shook his head, "but for how long?"

"You were never like that," I said. I meant it too. For all his asshole antics, he never once looked proud of himself. "There were so many things you could have done, but didn't." I glanced over at Cloud before looking back at Genesis.

"Perhaps," he shrugged. "Our intentions were different, and I obviously had nothing to be proud of. Zack, I'm not going to make excuses, but all I can do is give my reasons."

"So, why did you do it? All of it?" I knew that we didn't have all the time in the world to run our mouths, but I had a feeling it was just enough for Genesis to state his case.

"Just try to imagine being at the top of your game. The world is yours and you represent the Goddess beautifully. Whatever issues you have are well under control". Genesis chuckled. "Or, at least they are for the most part."

I nodded. "I get that. No problem."

Genesis narrowed his eyes. "Now, try to imagine yourself slowing down, weakening with your wounds healing slower than they should, and you feel yourself slipping. You sense that slowly, but surely, everything is slipping away, and you don't understand why until one fateful day."

"Sephiroth told me what happened."

"I don't doubt it." Genesis dug his gloved fingers into his legs. "But, that day..." he sighed. "Just imagine what it's like to find that you will be dying one single cell at a time, and Hollander would rather you rot than lose the dicksize war with Hojo."

I shut my eyes, but I listened to his voice while he continued. "Then, every single issue you ever had comes pouring out of the floodgates. You finally realize that Shinra will do nothing to help you, and it sure as shit isn't helping the planet itself no matter what it claims."

I opened my eyes. "So, that's why you left..."

"One of the reasons, yes." Genesis looked like he was in pain, but he still talked. "Thankfully, I had willing members of SOLDIER join me in the rebellion. Too bad Banora Village wasn't so willing." He shook his head. "If I were to tell you about my parents, we'd be here for centuries, and when archeologlists find us, they'd think we were lovers." We both laughed a bit at that, but he grabbed my hand and held it. "Have you ever seen a family that seemed to have it all, but you could sense that something was terribly wrong? Like some very important things were missing?"

I thought carefully about that question and found that I have. "Some families were like that. I mean, nothing that could be proven, but I always wondered about the ones that seemed too good to be true."

Genesis tilted his head. "That was my entire childhood. Still, I thought my parents would help me. I mean, I'm SOLDIER 1st Class, and a legendary one at that. Something that would make the Rhapsodos name look good." He bit his lip before saying, "but, no. Hell, no. They refused, and my mother flat out said that she wasn't my mother. She called me a monster and a failure. My father did nothing but look at me with contempt. If I didn't shatter before that, I certainly did when they told me to leave."

I couldn't bring myself to say anything. I knew what happened. Besides, what do you say to something like that? He killed his own parents, but he actually buried them and then posted pictures of them on their graves. While it didn't make everything okay, it explained why Angeal wanted to save him rather than just kill him. I had a feeling that Sephiroth wouldn't have gotten the same consideration. I kept listening.

"I really believed that everyone in that village hated me, rejected me, and wanted me dead. Their loyalty was to Shinra, first and foremost, so I had to shut them all up. I ordered my clones to kill everyone, except Gillian. Me? Well, you already know what I did."

"She said you couldn't kill her."

Genesis nodded. "She was right. Angeal's family was more family than my own parents. Quite honestly, there was a lot I couldn't do." He looked at Cloud. "Him? I had ample opportunity to take him, and get those cells, but I couldn't bring myself to do it." He gripped my hand tighter. "I just wanted people to suffer the way I did. I figured that if I was going down, then others were going with me. How wrong headed, but it was all I could think about, other than "The Gift of the Goddess" and how not to degrade."

"I don't know what I would have done if I were you," I replied. "I'd be desperate, that's for sure. People would do just about anything when they're like that. I'd like to think that I'd be different than you, but I don't know..." I swallowed. "Then, there's Angeal."

Genesis gasped. "Yes, him. Angeal." He looked away, and I could tell that he clenched his teeth before looking back at me. "I wanted him with me, but at the same time, I knew why he chose to help you. He might not have degraded as fast I did, but he was getting there. You see, he knew that he would end up like me. In fact, even worse. You saw what he could do."

"But, he'd never--he'd...not Angeal." I felt tears sting in my eyes again, but this time, I held them back.

"Indeed, not Angeal," Genesis sighed. "I wanted him to be with me, to help me against a world that rejected us "monsters", but he didn't want to stay the way he was. He didn't want to cause suffering in the name of being desperate or blinded by paranoid ideation. He would rather have died then be the antithesis of everything he worked so hard to attain." He kept his intense gaze on me, and I didn't even think of looking away. "He killed his own degrading body to give you his indomitable will." He smiled, but it didn't go anywhere near his eyes. He blinked a little too much. "It was the only way he could save me from myself, and in doing so, save the world." He squeezed my hand. "He got what he wanted, and he was the hero all along. You were right. Angeal never left me, and Goddess, Zack, you hit a ton."

We both chuckled a little before we ended up touching foreheads, and because I just felt like it, I let go of his hand and hugged him. He didn't push me away. Instead, he wrapped his arms around me. If anyone, other than Angeal, saw us they'd be tightening up their jaws, so nothing falls off. If Cloud were awake, I'm sure he'd be a bit stunned too. At this point, I didn't care who knew, even though no one was around for miles. I knew for damned sure that Genesis didn't care either. He never cared who saw his antics, and I seriously doubted that he would start now, not even when I pushed him flat on his back. I sat on top of him, holding his arms above his head, and just gazing into his blue eyes with a huge grin on my face. He looked stunned for a bit, but then he laughed.

"You've got some nerve, Zack," he said. I could feel his muscles tense under my hands. "I never thought of this before, but you remind me of myself in a lot of ways."

"Why do you say that?"

Genesis smirked. "Because you're the only other person I know that would do something like this given the circumstances." He squirmed a little, and I gasped when his groin rubbed against mine. "Important question: do you top or do you bottom?"

"I tend to top."

Genesis' eyes brightened. "Excellent. I tend to bottom." He slipped out of my grasp and wrapped his arms around my neck. He drew me close to him. I could feel his breath against my lips. "Sweet, delicious irony. We go from fighting to fucking in less than a day. I love this."

"Oh wait. We don't have any lube." I looked at the surrounding water, but I seriously doubted that he'd find a cold lake appealing. I sure didn't.

"That's okay, we don't have to go 'all the way', " Genesis answered, and before I could even blink, he locked his lips with mine.

I never stood a chance. He didn't just feel warm, he felt hot, like someone who believed that sex and combat were one in the same. He gripped my neck so tight, I thought I'd break. I thought my hair would be torn out because he came pretty damned close to doing the same with my uniform. I tried to keep up. No way was he going to dominate me so easily. I never have and I wouldn't now. I've never been with anyone like him, so all I could do was remove my gloves, run my hands through his auburn hair, and just feel. Feel everything. Listen to everything. Mouth against mouth, leather against leather, skin against skin, and our gasps after we touched each other in all the right places.

"How loud are you?" I asked between kisses.

He smirked. "I can shatter glass."

"Yea, I bet you could."

I thought about Cloud, but realized that not even a herd of Behemoths could wake him up. Genesis must have read my mind because he shook his head.

"He'll be fine. Even I can't scream that loud".

I couldn't help but agree. I finally noticed the taste of cider between us when I kissed him again. I wished I had some more. I needed it because I never thought in a million years I'd be here again. That, and it tasted damned good, just like him. Genesis pushed upward and I pushed downward. We fought again, but this was a different battle of wills and skills, and it didn't matter who won or lost.

He didn't shatter any glass, but he came close to shattering my eardrum as he finally did come. I swear, he did that on purpose, but I didn't ask because it's hard to do much of anything when you feel like you could fly without any wings. I don't know how long we spent gasping for air in each other's arms, and for a few minutes, neither of us cared.


	3. I didn't feel stupid

A/N: I took a little from the actual FF7 game script. I thought it was amusing to imagine Genesis being the one Zack was talking to. As usual, was hard for me to write since I'm always worried about something. Anyway, enjoy!

--

I didn't feel stupid after what we did together. Not even for a single second. Most people in our situation would have, especially given the situation. Cloud never did wake up, and a part of me figured that if Genesis couldn't wake him, then no one could. I wasn't the sort to lose hope so easily, so I simply let him sleep. I wasn't keeping track of time, so it wouldn't have surprised me if we ended up spending the entire day under the Banora caverns. Then again, nothing surprised me anymore. After crawling off of Genesis, I sat next to Cloud and thought of Aeris. I wondered what she would think of all this. She spent four years writing letters to me, never giving up, always believing that I would return. How would she feel if she found out that I did a circle jerk with my former ambivalent enemy? I considered her a friend, but I can't imagine her approving of this. I did what I did, no getting around that, so I decided to let the chips fall where they may. Hopefully, she would never know.

Genesis remained on his back. rubbing his face with his gloved hands. He didn't have to worry about any significant others because the two that functioned as both friends are lovers are either dead or missing in action. Even if they weren't, Sephiroth wouldn't have cared if Genesis had sex with dogs, but Angeal? Hard to say with him, but it didn't matter now because--I didn't need to be reminded and neither did Genesis.

"Are you okay?" I asked. I knew he was, but I wanted to hear something more than breathing mixed with a distant waterfall.

He nodded before sitting up. "Yes."

"Do you feel stupid?" I don't know I asked that, but I did.

Genesis frowned. "No, of course not. Is something wrong?"

"Nah. Not even for a second. I have no regrets."

"Me neither." He cracked his usual arrogant grin. "We have no reason to, unless there's something you're not telling me?"

"Uh, well, no. I mean, I guess I just worry too much." I glanced over at Cloud. He still slept.

"I see," Genesis looked towards the bright glitter path that led back to the prisons. "We should get moving."

"You're right." I stood up to stretch before slinging Cloud back over my shoulder.

"When I did something like this with Angeal, I'd look past the safe zone and imagine monsters watching us." He snickered a bit, and I did the same. I couldn't help myself. "I told him that and he'd just shake his head. I knew he found it funny."

"It'd be interesting, that's for sure. What if it were Shinra soldiers?"

Genesis shrugged. "Obviously they'd be able to get through, but they wouldn't live to tell the tale. I don't like anyone crashing parties. " He folded his arms over his head. "Thankfully, we don't have to worry about that right now."

"Right now..." I echoed. I held Cloud close to me.

"Feel stupid now?" Genesis asked, one eyebrow raised.

"No. W-we needed the rest, and--"

"Yes, I know. It was worth the risk."

I didn't have anything to say to that, so I simply followed him out of the safe zone and over the bright, shining bridge. I really didn't want to go back there, but my choices were slim to none with slim running far away. All I could think was how pretty the bridge was before Genesis stopped at the prison entrance.

"Zack, do you have anyone?"

I blinked, a little put off by the sudden question. I wanted to mention Aeris, but I just shook my head. "Why?"

"You're a shitty liar."

Oh fuck. He nailed me...again. "Aeris..."

Genesis raised his eyebrows. "Who?"

I asked. "Do you know her?"

"Her..." Genesis shook his head. He didn't seem upset, but why would he? "No, I don't, actually."

"She's a good friend of mine." Why was I explaining this to him? Just a day ago, we were about to kill each other. Not that I stopped running my mouth. "We did date, but I never considered it serious. She wrote letters to me, but I never got any, except for one. I just got it right after carrying you out of this cave. Lezard gave it to me, and why am I even telling you this?"

"It's okay. She doesn't have to know. No one has to, in fact."

"Genesis..."

"Don't worry, I won't blackmail you." He smiled. "Even if she did find out, I'm sure she'd understand." He waved his gloved hands. "I mean, look at me. Could anyone blame you?"

I groaned. Some things never changed. I brushed past him and went straight into the place I really didn't want to go. Genesis followed me, trying to his damndnest not to laugh. He fell silent when we went deeper into the prison and I knew that it wasn't because of any monsters. I killed most, if not all of them, and a lot of them were machines, so their remains littered the floor. Must be the general feeling of this area. I hated it more than any part of the cave because I knew that there were people here, imprisoned for whatever reason, and I doubt any of them escaped. I tried not to look at the messages written in blood. I made sure to forget what they said. Or tried to forget.

"Experimenting," Genesis replied. "That's what this place was for."

"Clones?"

He shook his head. "Not just those. Other kinds of experiments. Believe it or not, people who learned of this place came willingly. Some knew Hollander and wanted his help to grow stronger, so they submitted to his experiments. Others should have just thought more carefully before coming anywhere near these caves." He took the keys from his coat and jangled them. "This place was kept secret for a reason, and I wanted it to stay that way."

"That would explain all the monsters."

Genesis grunted. "Yes, it would, but they were always there. The stronger clones appeared later."

"I can see people getting a little curious, but coming here to grow stronger? I mean, I don't mind being a better SOLDIER by training and using materia, but come on, this stuff? No way!" I just couldn't understand. Yea, sure I have Mako and stuff, I worked my ass off too. This just seemed different. Like, people wanted to grow stronger the easy way.

"You'd be surprised the lengths some people would go through."

"But, they weren't degrading, were they?"

"It's not just about that. Some people just don't like the way they are or weren't able to join SOLDIER. So, they chose an alternate route. The desire for power, power, and more power is a strong motive for some people. Then, there are those who simply didn't want to be perpetual victims anymore, but wanted a 'quick fix'. There's a lot of reasons, Zack. Some did it because they want to be even bigger assholes than Sephiroth." We both broke out laughing.

"I don't think anyone would be able to manage that!" I practically shouted after regaining some control.

"You never know."

I sobered up a bit as we approached a large jail cell. This was where I fought Bahamut King. Blood sprayed the whole area, and I could see remnants of green lifestream. Genesis's jaw could have fallen on the floor.

"You killed the Bahamut King?"

Now it was my turn to be all smug. "Yup."

"You bastard." Genesis half-smiled, his blue eyes shined with amusement.

"Was he an experiment?"

"No, he was the monster that killed the curious group." He showed me the keys again. "Not a pretty sight. To be frank with you, I didn't sympathize much." He walked over to the wall behind Bahamut King's remnants. "I was too busy feeling sorry for myself."

I didn't dare say anything about that, but I remembered one of the messages written in one of the nearby cells. "Someone wrote something in blood. Somewhere nearby."

Genesis followed my gaze as he stood beside me. "Some people did that. Their way of saying, 'I was here.'

"Just one stood out. Something about ending up 'weaker than a grunt'."

"Why that one?"

I wrapped my arms around Cloud. "He considered himself weak. I can honestly see someone like him coming here just wanting to be strong, wanting to prove themselves."

"Zack, he's with you. He doesn't need a place like this if he has you around. Just because someone considers themselves weak, doesn't mean they are." Genesis lowered his head. "I don't know who wrote that message, but if it's any consolation, it might have been written by someone who got a little too greedy and had to live with the consequences." He walked back to the wall with me following him.

My heart almost stopped when I saw an opening that led to some sort of passage. I saw light at the end, so I figured that it was either daylight or a train. "Huh?"

"Shhhh". Genesis winked, pressing his finger against his lips. "It's a secret." He disappeared into the hallway and I followed.

I could tell that it was still morning, not too early since all the morning dew vaporized, but far from noon. I felt relieved. The vehicle turned out to be a black van that could carry at least five people and whatever baggage they had with them. In fact, some of the bags contained useful things, like food. They must have been killed recently because nothing looked rotting or old. We tossed everything we didn't need, like cheap clothing that didn't fit, and kept anything that could sell for gil. I didn't find any weapons. I looked at Genesis. He must have been thinking the same thing.

"Tourists." I felt a little sad as I strapped Cloud in the seat behind me. I laid the Buster Sword down in the very back seat, making damn sure that it wouldn't become a torpedo should anything happen. Genesis climbed behind the driver's seat, kicking it into gear before putting the key in the ignition. "If there is any fairness in this world, this van will start." I didn't even think of the possibility that it wouldn't, but when he mentioned it, I tensed up before relaxing when the engine roared to life.

"Just a couple of warnings," he began after I sat beside him. "One, I brake for no one and two, slow is a concept I never heard of ."

Yea, I got that early on. "I've gone one for you!" I pointed back at Cloud. "He gets motion sick."

Genesis groaned. "Nice..." He rolled down the window and I did the same. "Hopefully the crisp Banora air will help him."

"If you drive like a demon..." I braced myself when he released the clutch, accelerating like we were shot out of a cannon.

Okay, he didn't drive like a maniac, but he reminded me of myself, really. Neither one of us had light feet and we tended to shift fairly quickly and as smoothly as the vehicle allowed. This van? It didn't. Sure, it worked, but if it was enough by my standards, then Genesis couldn't possibly have been pleased. What was left of Banora sped past me and the air felt like cool water. I smelt sweet apples and leaves. Cloud didn't do anything except bob his head a bit. Thankfully, he didn't throw up. I munched on a bag of nuts I took from one of the useful bags, feeling a bit generous because I allowed Genesis to grab some too.

I decided to be an asshole to liven things up a bit. I knew damned well that it'd be a bunch of land, a long bridge, and more land before being anywhere near the Shinra capital. "Are we in Midgar yet?"

Genesis narrowed his eyes. "Shut up. You're lucky you're even getting a ride."

I laughed. Even now, I still liked annoying him. I did it as often as I could when I was younger and I sure wasn't about to stop now. "What are you going to do when we get to Midgar?"

"I-I don't know." Genesis frowned. "I mean, everyone thinks I'm dead. I never even considered it. To be honest, if it were just me, Midgar would be the last place I'd go."

"I wonder what Cloud will do?" I looked over at Cloud. The kid didn't say anything. His head just lolled around a bit. He didn't look sick, he just looked asleep. Before Genesis could say anything, I swallowed a mouthful of nuts and folded my arms across my chest. "I know what I'm going to do!" Obviously, it'd have to be something to do with fighting since I knew I was great at it. Course, I needed a place to stay though. Genesis was out. He was bearable now, but I knew it wouldn't last long. Aeris. Yes, of course her. "I got a place I could crash for awhile."

Genesis's eyes widened. "You do?"

"You don't?"

"No. I can take you back there, but I wouldn't stay. I can't." Genesis looked kind of bitter. "Think about it. Even if I managed to sneak into the Shinra building, it would only be to take some of my things, get as much gil as possible, and go elsewhere."

"Oh, yea. You're right..." I had to be real. Genesis was a traitor to Shinra, but then again, so was I. We were on the same boat, but Genesis did more, behaved worse. I, at least, might be forgiven, but Genesis? No way. "I'll be staying--"

"With Aeris?"

"Yup!" I grinned before realizing that she lived with her mother. My smile faded as fast at it appeared. "Actually, no. The mother lives there too."

"Oh no!" Genesis gasped, obviously mocking me. Bastard. "She might rip your nuts off!"

I agreed, even though I never met Aeris' mother. I couldn't risk my balls though. "Guess that's out..." I sighed. The scenery changed a little bit. Less trees, more plains. The sky looked like someone sprayed white paint on a blue easel pad. "Gotta change my plans. No matter what I do, I'll need some money first."

"Ugh, thanks for reminding me, Zack."

"You don't have any?"

"Gee, what do you think?" Genesis pushed himself against the seat. "Once upon a time, I had more money than the Goddess. Now? I'm lucky I have anything. Shinra had to have taken it all."

"That sucks."

"True, and it didn't have the decency to swallow."

We laughed. Cloud remained silent. I looked back at him. "Hey, want to start a business?"

Genesis snorted. "But, what could we do?" He asked. He sounded really curious and a little lost. I didn't blame him. "Everyone thinks I'm dead, so I could always start over or make a grand comeback and be the hero I always wanted to be. Think of the shock when people discover that I was never killed in action like Shinra wants everyone to believe."

I perked up. "You know, you could do that. Use some kind of code name, disguise yourself, and then when you're ready, reveal yourself. Something like that. I could do the same."

"Of course. You're still young. You should try everything. Simply go out and look for what you really want. You have that luxury." Genesis chuckled. He kept his eyes on the road. "Goddess, I sound like I'm a hundred and nine. I should follow my own advice."

Then it hit me like Genesis throwing me out and running me over. "That's it! Of course! We're SOLDIER! I've got the brains and the skill! I'm going to become a mercenary!"

Genesis raised his eyes eyebrows. "You're going to be the one who travels?"

"Yea!" I blinked when I realized just what he was referring too. I humored him. "Yup. That means you get to be the hero!"

"Heh, I still want to, but I have a lot of work to do before even thinking about it. So, you want Cloud to be captured?"

"Why not? He'd get the girl."

"Aeris?"

"Not necessarily. Some other girl." I quickly changed the subject back to the mercenary idea. "I'm going to I'm gonna become a mercenary and that's that. Boring stuff, dangerous stuff, anything for money. I'm gonna be rich!"

"Great idea!" Genesis looked genuinely happy. He tapped on the steering wheel. "I should consider that. I'd be expensive though because I'm worth it!" He briefly looked at me. "So are you, so don't sell yourself short."

"I don't plan on doing that." Cloud still didn't stir. I wanted to say something to him, but I decided to save it for when he woke up Right now, he was still asleep, so I didn't see the point in asking him anything.

Looking in the review mirror, Genesis asked, "What about your friend?"

"He could work with me." I shrugged. "I don't know. I'll ask him when he can actually answer." I chomped on the last of my snack, just wishing I could be in Midgar right now. Genesis was right, it'd take a awhile to get back 'home' and yes, he did drive like a demon, a skilled one, but a van never compared to the cars I knew he drove. If only those poor tourists had a helicopter instead of a van. They'd have gotten to Banora faster, that's for sure. Not that it mattered now. I leaned against the window because I could have sworn I heard the very thing I was thinking about. Genesis must have heard it too because he slowed down a bit and looked carefully into the review mirror. He tilted his head toward the window, then glanced upward. I felt my skin crawl.

"Shinra..." I whispered. "It's got to be." I wanted to puke. Just what I needed, and to make matters even worse, I heard only one helicopter which meant that we weren't dealing with regular grunts since they traveled in large packs. "Turks, maybe?" I really hoped it was the Turks because they would least listen to me, but Genesis? What about him? He didn't say anything. He just kept his hand on the gear stick, as if waiting for a reason to just gun it. All I knew was that the Turks would be more reasonable before trying to anything, especially if the right ones were trying to get us. Whoever they turned out to be, I hoped the 'copter was full of people I knew. I didn't feel like fighting.


End file.
